Part B

Last Gasp for Smokers

It was a normal day and in their New York office, Ken and his colleagues stopped for their coffee break. But while his colleagues were able to sit at their desks and drink their coffee, Ken had to go outside. He couldn't stay inside, because he wanted to smoke. If the smokers of the Big Apple want to enjoy a cigarette, the authorities have decided they must go out into the street or up onto the rooftops.

Throughout the United States, the number of places where people are allowed to smoke has gradually dwindled. First it was banned on trains, buses, and planes, then in public places such as theaters and airports. Now you can't smoke in any workplace. Nonsmokers are definitely winning the battle. "Why should we breathe their smoke?" they say.

If they're lucky, smokers can still find some bars and restaurants or parks and recreation centers where they can light up a cigarette, but it may soon be banned there, too. In fact, smoking in parks and recreation centers is already banned in California. On August 9, 2001, Los Angeles City and County officials announced the implementation of a smoke-free park policy, officially designating smoke-free zones in all 375 parks and recreation centers in the city. And since January 1, 2002 all parks in California have become smoke-free to safeguard children from the harmful effects of secondhand tobacco smoke and dangerous tobacco waste. Anti-smoking groups even think that smoking ought to be banned in people's homes. Under new plans you won't be able to smoke in any house where there are more than ten visitors in a week, or where there are children.

In 1996, nicotine was classed as a drug, like cannabis, cocaine or heroin. And scientists all over the world agree that exposure to secondhand smoke poses a serious health risk and there is no safe level of exposure. It is especially dangerous for children because when they are exposed to tobacco smoke, they have much higher rates of lung diseases such as bronchitis and pneumonia and are also at greater risks of developing asthma.

In the country that gave tobacco to the world, smoking might one day be illegal. And then Ken will have to give up.

Questions:

1. What is the main idea of the passage you've heard?

2. What does the speaker think about banning smoking in public places?

3. Where is smoking not banned according to the passage?

4. Which of the following is true about nicotine?

5. What can be inferred from the sentence "In the country that gave tobacco to the world, smoking might one day be illegal"?

Part C

Making Smoking Socially Unacceptable

The World Health Organization has named May 31 as World No Tobacco Day. Marking the day this year, the WHO announced that there was a 33 percent growth in the Asian cigarette market from 1999 - 2000.

In Singapore, there has been an increase of smokers, which reflects the popularity of the addictive habit in Asia. Statistics show that seven Singaporeans die every day from smoking-related diseases in this country of 3.5 million people.

Now, smoking will become socially unacceptable under a campaign by Singapore's government to use family and social pressure to get smokers to kick the habit. The campaign, launched in April 2002, is the latest weapon employed by the state against the spreading smoking habit. "Show them you care. Help them stop smoking," is the campaign's slogan, aimed at obtaining the help of loved ones to help smokers stop their nicotine habit. As part of its effort to discourage smoking, the government of Singapore has been putting up advertisements in newspapers, on TV and the Internet, showing parents quitting smoking so as not to worry their children.

1. Which of the following days is World No Tobacco Day?

2. What did the WHO announce on World No Tobacco Day?

3. Why did the speaker cite Singapore as an example?

4. What can be inferred from this passage?

Developing World Becomes a Huge Ashtray

As the tobacco industry in high-income countries faces stern legal measures, it turns to the developing world for market. The fragile economies of many developing countries have created perfect market conditions for the transnational cigarette companies. Investment in tobacco farming in Africa, for example, has increased rapidly. At present, out of the 33 million people engaged in tobacco farming worldwide, one million are in sub-Saharan African countries and the number is growing.

And across Africa, farmers are reluctant to grow alternative crops to replace tobacco for fear of losing profit. Even if crop substitution were to succeed, there is little evidence that this would reduce tobacco consumption.

So far, governments in Africa have avoided action to control smoking, as they are afraid that intervention might trigger harmful economic consequences on their fragile economies. In Tanzania, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Malawi, there is a general fear that reduced tobacco production would mean a permanent loss of jobs and lower government revenue.

While a price increase on cigarettes has been viewed as a measure to control smoking among the poor, the strategy is not working in sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of people who could not afford manufactured cigarettes are increasingly turning to smoking hand-rolled cigarettes, which were traditionally common in India and Southeast Asia but are now taking root in Africa.

Partial bans on cigarette advertising in sub-Saharan Africa have had little or no effect on smoking patterns. Researchers say most smokers in the region start smoking when too young and are addicted quite early.

Today, a tremendous number of people in the developing world are smokers. In fact, the whole developing world has become a huge ashtray.

Questions:

1. According to the passage, what is the reason that cigarette companies in industrialized countries have turned to the developing world for market?

2. What do we learn about tobacco farming in Africa?

3. Why are African farmers reluctant to give up growing tobacco?

4. What actions have some African governments taken to control smoking?

5. What kind of tobacco products do many African smokers use instead of manufactured cigarettes?